The Netherlands is in the process of building the country's very first eSports arena, and already has 75 events booked to take place in the venue in 2020.
If you're not already aboard the eSports train, then now is the time to jump on before it's too late. The industry's numbers continue to grow, and there are a number of games currently enjoying massive amounts of popularity. Fortnite, Super Smash Bros, League of Legends, Overwatch, the list goes on and on, and there are millions watching the action unfold around the world.
In fact, a couple of games are establishing teams and franchises based in cities, just like other sports. Overwatch is doing so, as is Call of Duty. Those franchises need homes, and some of them are so popular that they can fill stadiums with fans. Some games and teams are so popular that they warrant stadiums of their very own.
The Netherlands is currently in the process of hopping aboard that particular bandwagon, reports Dot Esports. It will be called The Rabo Esports Stadium Amsterdam, and sounds as if it will become something of a hub for the industry in not just the Netherlands, but perhaps even other surrounding European countries. It will cover 10,000 square meters and be an entire campus rather than just a stadium.
Rabobank and H2O eSports are sponsoring the stadium, which is slated to open its doors some time in 2020. Those in charge of the ambitious projects will certainly be hoping it does. Apparently, there are already 75 events booked to take place in the arena in 2020 alone. That certainly piles the pressure on those responsible for it opening on time.
We are rapidly reaching a point where eSports are being viewed by as many people as actual sports. Between the qualifiers and the final weekend of the Fortnite World Cup, the action was watched across Twitch and YouTube for more than 80 million hours. League has pulled in similar numbers via its annual tournaments. If you're reading this in the Netherlands, soon you'll be able to watch these events in person rather than via a stream.